Tellurium chloride thermoregenerative galvanic cell



Oct. 27, 1970 D. E. ANTHES E'I'AL 3,536,530

' TELLURIUM CHLORIDE THERMOREGENERATIVE GALVANIC CELL Filed Jan. 2, 1969 I 2Cu C1 Te e1 3 Te (21 I c1 (ion):- k, -Ef

/4 I I5 /I & lg cu C1 Te (:1 I l X 3 CAT HODE e- ANODE REGENERATOR REGENERATOR INVENTORS DAVID E. ANT/IE5 TED M. RYMARZ BY Mm ATTORNEY United States Patent M US. Cl. 136-6 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A regenerative process for a tellurium chloride cell under exact conditions of temperature and pressure and with the help of complexing agents such as GaCl or A101 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to cells in which the electrodes are in liquid form and in which a regenerative process is continuously carried on so that the output of the cell may be continuous, and more particularly to that portion of the cell relating to the regenerative process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention consists of a process for separating TeCl from TeCl in a thermally regenerative galvanic cell which produces power according to T0012 ZCuClz CuzCh TeCli which regenerates by A Tech TeClz Clz CuzClz C12 2OLlCl2 In the number 2 reaction TeCl and C1 are both gases at the temperature required to break down TeCl and are hard to separate. The present invention complexes the TeCl with a trichloride of either gallium (Ga) or aluminum (Al).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The figure is a diagram showing the regenerative process.

The present invention sets up the process for the eflicient regeneration of TeCl and C1 from the reaction product tellurium tetrachloride (Tech) of a thermally regenerative galvanic cell.

Referring to the drawing, a cell 12 is shown having an ion exchange membrane 13 and contact plates 14 and 15, 14 being the cathode and 15 being the anode. The chemical reaction is TeCl +2CuCl TeCl +Cu Cl to produce the free electrons e shown at 16 on the drawing to give a flow of current.

The regenerative process is carried on simultaneously with the production of electric current from the chemical reaction, above, and primarily consists of changing the TeCl to TeCl -l-cl the reaction at the anode; the cathode reaction being Cu Cl +Cl 2CuCl to give the original electrodes which will then produce a continuous flow of electricity as the result of applying the regenerative process.

The regenerative process is carried out at 650 C. and at 18 atm. abs. During the development of this process the regenerative process was carried out at 550 C. and a 1 atm. pressure, the result being that both the TeCl and C1 were both gaseous and unseparable. However, it was found that certain compounds such as the trichlorides of gallium and aluminum were liquid in the temperature 3,536,530 Patented Oct. 27, 1970 region where the thermal regeneration occurred. It was found that TeC1 +GaCl complex at 650 C. and 18 atm. abs. released a percentage of its available chlorine based on the reaction:

A five percent regeneration is considered suflicient for the successful operation of an integrated tellurium chloride thermo-regenerative galvanic cell.

The drawing shows diagrammatically the reaction of the regenerative process as carried on outside of the cell while actually the process is within the cell at the cathode regeneration and without the cell at the anode regeneration, and simultaneous with the production of electric current.

Referring again to the diagram where the regenerative process is pictured as being outside of the cell while actually the process is carried out partially within the cell, the anode regeneration is shown at 17 Where the TeCL; plus heat at 18 produces the TeCl +Cl which transfers to the cathode regenerator 19 to give the 2CuCl the heat escaping at 21. While the flow of electric current is continuous a switch 22 is shown in the circuit 23. Any suitable source of heat indicated at 18 may be inferred while 25 not shown on the diagram, other than the indication.

The operation of the thermo-regenerative cell is as follows:

At the anode, a TeCl molecule gives up an electron to the current collector resulting in a TeCl positive ion which remains in the anode electrode. The electron travels around the external circuit to the plate 15. Here the electron becomes attached to a CuCl molecule in the cathode electrode and forms a Cl negative ion which penetrates the ion exchange membrane and combines with the TeCl positive ion in the anode electrode. Two such Cl negative ions so combined form a neutral TeCl molecule. This is a normal oxidation-reduction reaction. The reactant product of the cathode electrode is Cu Cl and TeCl at the anode electrode.

The neutral TeCl is passed into a chamber where it forms a complex with added trichloride of gallium or aluminum. It is heated to a temperature of 550 C. and at a pressure of 18 atm. abs. to drive off, first the C1 in the form of gas, and then the TeCl also in the form of a gas. The C1 is conducted to the cathode electrode where it combines with the Cu Cl to provide the original 2CuCl while the cooled TeCl is returned to the anode electrode side of the cell.

To provide a continuous current it is necessary to have a 5 percent return from the regenerative cell, thus providing a continuous electric current by the application of heat.

What is claimed is:

1. In a thermally regenerative galvanic cell having a liquid anode of T eCl and a liquid cathode of CuCl a regenerative process comprising:

maintaining an ion exchange screen between the electrodes;

passing chlorine ions through the exchange screen to form TeCl and to give off free electrons;

passing the TeCL, into a container adjacent the cell;

heating the T eCL, together with a trichloride of aluminum AlCl to a temperature of 55 0 C. and under a pressure of 18 atm. abs.

removing C1 and returning the chlorine to the Cu Cl to produce CuCl separating the TeCl from the AlCl and returning the TeCl to the cell.

2. A process according to claim 1 where AlCl is re- 70 placed by GaC1 3. A thermally regenerative galvanic cell comprising: a casing;

an ion exchange membrane dividing the casing into an anode and a cathode compartment;

a liquid TeCl electrode forming the anode;

a liquid CuCl electrode forming the cathode;

an anode plate;

a cathode plate;

an outside circuit connecting said plates establishing current flow upon breakdown of the anode electrode.

a heating chamber connected to each of the compartments adapted to receive the neutralized anode electrode;

means for heating the chamber;

means for maintaining a desired pressure within said heating chamber whereby the anode electrode, made neutral through the generation of an electric current, may be changed back by the application of heat under controlled pressure.

4. A cell according to claim 3 where the anode electrode is TeCl and the cathode electrode is CuCl 4 5. A cell according to claim 4 and including AlCl as an additive within the heating chamber.

6. A cell according to claim 4 and including GaCl as an additive within the heating chamber.

7. A cell according to claim 4 wherein the heat is maintained at 550 C. and the pressure at 18 atm. abs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,319,734 5/1967 McCully 136-6 3,404,065 10/1968 Kurnmer et al. 1366 3,441,446 4/1969 Heredy 136-6 WINSTON A. DOUGLAS, Primary Examiner C. F. LEFEVOUR, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 13683 

